Charles Barton on his blog talks about why we need thorium even if uranium is renewable.
He writes:
The use of the DMSR will provide major benefits. First the technology has late been tested already. The DMSR draws heavily on the technology already used in the ORNL Molten Salt Reactor Experiment. Secondly the DMSR will ease public worries about nuclear power as well as lowering nuclear capital costs because:
It offers deterministic safety. That is, it will be safe because all of its safety features are based on the laws of nature.
The DMSR either significantly decreases the long term nuclear waste problem or completely solves it.
The DMST is not a useful tool for nuclear proliferation.
The DMSR is likely to cost significantly less than LWRs of comparable power output.
